One sunny day, a mother and her son were outside flying a kite. The son loved watching the kite glide through the sky and cheered as it flew higher and higher. Eventually, the kite reached the end of its string and could not go any higher. After pleading with his mom to break the string, she finally agreed and cut the string to release the kite. Shortly after, a gust of wind made the kite spiral uncontrollably, and it crashed to the ground.

As the son looked very sad and disappointed, the mother explained, “Just like the kite, we may reach a certain level in life and feel like things may be holding us back, such as friends, family, or rules. We feel the desire to become free from those strings, but it’s important to remember that those strings will help us remain stable and fly higher than we can without them.”

Here’s the way I see it: Dan Pearce once said it best, “Who do you want to surround yourself with? People who can pull you up to their level of greatness? Or people who will happily pull you down to theirs?”

How do you decide on how a logo should look? Is it based on what's popular or trending? On the profession or industry? Logos are one of the most integral parts of your brand and creating the right logo that will withstand the test of time can be challenging.

When designing a great logo there are many things to keep in mind, such as fonts, colors, and how it will look when printed. With everything to think about when designing a great logo, try looking at it from a different angle. Consider what the logo doesn't need.

A logo doesn't need to convey what the business is or does. While that certainly works in some circumstances, logos are capable of adding meaning to the brand and keeping the brand top-of-mind without an immediate connection to the brand's product. The relevance of a logo to the product or business can be unique and different, which will only help to add intrigue, interest, and engagement.

Think of a brand like Nike and their logo. With just a simple, curved line, that one little swoosh represents motion and speed, which are synonymous with athleticism. This is what Nike stands for. The brand is so popular with this logo that there really isn't even a need for the tag "Nike" to be seen anywhere - you see the swoosh, you know it's Nike. Nike doesn't need a shoe as their logo to connect with their potential buyers. Here, the swoosh is just as relevant.

Although Nike uses a symbol for its logo, your logo doesn't need a symbol. Having only a symbol for a logo design doesn't always serve its purpose, and sometimes, a wordmark logo is the much better fit. Some examples of popular wordmark logos include eBay, Coca-Cola, and Disney.

You may wish to consider your preference for a wordmark or symbol logo. One may potentially connect the audience with the brand better than the other. Again, think about how the logo will look when printed on shirts, cards, and other items to make sure the message and meaning are clearly understood.

Most importantly, a properly planned logo design is key. Determine what is the best way to connect the audience with the brand, and remember that just because it's relevant doesn't mean it's best. To communicate a brand through a logo, consider: does it require a wordmark? Is a symbol necessary? You may also want to integrate a tag, but a logo typically works best when it is able to stand on its own. Creating a logo that will not only stand out but will also adapt to its surroundings makes a huge difference in getting consumers to recognize the brand.

By taking the time to consider what your logo doesn't need, you can then tailor it to meet the needs of the audience and the brand. This will help you stand above your competitors while saving you time and money in the end.

In today’s competitive business world, it’s becoming more challenging to ensure your brand gets noticed and remembered. Here are a few creative ways to increase your brand awareness:

Position your business as an expert by creating useful content, such as blog posts, infographics, and white papers. You can also build credibility and trust by writing articles for well-known industry and trade publications.

If your organization is looking for a way to add a new twist on an old favorite, you may want to consider giving your business cards a 90-degree turn with a vertical design. Because the layout is unconventional, it will be more memorable and demand attention, and likely encourage recipients to take a second look at your business card.

While the design aspect may be more challenging on a vertical card, the challenge is often worth the effort. Perhaps you have a long list of products or services that work nicely on a vertical card. Or maybe you have a vertical logo you would like to highlight. Even though you are changing the layout, the traditional 3.5” x 2” business card dimensions still fit easily into your client’s wallet or Rolodex.

If you’re looking for unique ideas for vertical designs, our creative team would love to help! Visit our website or give us a call today.

While smart home technology devices - such as an Amazon Echo, Wi-Fi color changing light bulbs, thermostats, power strips, and security devices - are convenient, they require many apps for all of them. Stringify can alleviate the need to run multiple apps.

Stringify is an award-winning app (available via both iOS and Apple) that manages and automates all of your smart appliances and internet-connected devices in one location on a cloud-based platform you can access anytime/anywhere. The more variety of connected devices you own, the more helpful Stringify will be for you.

Once all your devices are connected to Stringify (which is the most tedious part), you can easily create “flows,” which are a set of conditional automation rules (if this and this, then that and that). For example, you can set it up so when you wake up at 6 am every morning, your Wi-Fi-enabled lights turn on, your Nest thermostat kicks in, the TV turns on, and the weather report is read out loud. To learn more, visit: www.stringify.com

Did you know our team of professionals can also help you automate and simplify your next important printing project? After all, other printers may be nearby, but nobody comes close!